between a rock and a hard place

[slim76254]

I attend NC State University majoring in Industrial Design and graduate Dec 09. I want to go into boat design once I graduate and have been considering Westlawn and Landing. Until then I need some type of reference or instruction manual to give myself a crash course in all the calculations of small craft and yacht design. What suggestions do you have?

[robherc]

Well, for your calculations, you can start with Ted Brewer's book (don't remember the name at the moment, but it's on his site...google his name & it'll come up)...or you can browse this forum & run a few searches, I think pretty much every formula & calculation you could imagine for boats is mentioned SOMEWHERE in these threads.

Good luck with your studies!

[limeyus]

If you have a degree in industrial design many of the large companies (Sea Ray, Regal, Chapparal, etc etc) will hire industrial designers for the interior and exterior styling of the boats. Then NA's and/or mechanical engineers work closely with them and then finish the boat.
Pretty quiet on the job front right now (most places are laying off) but by the end of the year places will start to hire again. Most important part is to have a good portfolio showing all types of design, (not just boats)

[Ike]

Try any of these. You can get them at BoatDesign.net at http://www.boatdesign.net/design_books/index.htm or on Amazon

Principles of Yacht Design by Lars Larsson and Rolf E Eliasson. International Marine, 1994. A very good comprehensive text on yacht design. It is modern and up to date. It introduces not only all the basic elements, but use of Computer Aided Design as well. However, if deals only with sailing yachts, although some of the basic principles are the same for both power and sail. It is written in a way that both the professional and amateur can use this book.

Skene's Elements of Yacht Design 8th Edition by Kinney, Published by Dodd and Mead. I do not know when the last edition was published, but this is the granddaddy and the bible for designers. Some of the information is out of date but the basics are all there. This book should be on every designers book shelf.

The Elements of Boat Strength: For Builders, Designers, and Owners by David Gerr, International Marine 1999

The Nature of Boats: Insights and Esoterica for the Nautically Obsessed, By David Gerr, International Marine 1995